the winner did take it all, hopping around the islands

When we started planning this trip we knew we didn't want/couldn't afford to go to the most touristic spots. Think Mykonos or Santorini. They were super crowded in July and we wanted to be able to relax and enjoy nature a bit. So it was clear we had to search for less-known islands for us to explore.

So for a few weeks we watched hundreds of tiktoks, all about the "secret gems" of the greek islands. In the end we had to settle for 2 islands, because we didn't have time to stay for more that a week island hopping. With the help of our greek bestie, we settled on the small and paradisiac Koufunisia, and the larger, more touristy/social island of Paros (and its small twin Antiparos). It seemed like a nice balance of nature and summer nightlife.

Koufunisia - the first island
After what seemed like the longest boat ride ever, eight and a half hours, we arrived at Koufunisia. It wasn’t easy since we had chosen the cheapest tickets, which meant we were on the outside of the boat, under the sun, on what looked (and felt) like plastic park benches. But, we did make it.

Funny enough, we almost went to the wrong island. In one of of the stops we thought we had arrived and we’re starting to exit the boat, following the crowds. Thank god, one of us checked google maps and realized we were still in Iraklia. Pretty island, just not ours. We would’ve been stranded with no place to sleep if we got out of the boat.

Eventually, Koufunisia was the boat’s last stop, and the one were less people got off. The weather was much better than in Athens (here we could actually breathe!), almost 10 degrees less. The short 7 minute walk (it’s a really small island) to our apartment was exactly what we had hoped for! All the houses painted in white and blue, the stone pathways, and the trees with pink flowers in every street. Funny enough, we didn’t hear anyone speaking english. Everyone there was, or seemed to be, greek! Which meant we were in the right place.

Still impressed with the view of our balcony, we left things home and grabbed a gyros on a small restaurant right below our house. They didn’t have chicken, only pork, and convinced us it was the best one. I don’t necessarily agree, I think they had just ran out, but it was actually pretty good.

After eating, and putting on swim shorts, we went straight to the first beach we found. It was the port’s beach, closest to our house, it was pretty but nothing compared to the ones we would discover next. The water is a lot warmer than what you find in Portugal. It’s also completely, 100%, transparent, and the sand is lighter, which makes it look super paradisiac.

We decided to end the day watching the sunset in a place called Angel’s Eye. It was a beautiful natural pool, almost like a cave. Looked exactly like the one in H20 the mermaid show, iykyk. I would say that it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Underwater, there was a small tunnel you could swim through to the other side where the waves crashed. After enjoying our time there, always somehow accompanied by a random nudist family that accidentally stole my shoes, we went back home.

We had been awake for almost 20 hours, so we decided to go to the supermarket and cook a relaxed dinner at home. Going grocery shopping in a foreign country is by itself a cultural activity so no one complained. The cheapest box of pasta available, fresh cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and basil leaves from the garden of our apartment made for a great dinner. We cut the tomatoes with the small blade of a wine opener, and cooked dinner in our miniature stove. I wish I took a photo of the kitchen at that time, messy but effective.

We ate outside with the view of the Aegean sea, tried some traditional greek Ouzo (don’t) on ice and stayed on the balcony talking until we went to sleep. Falling asleep didn’t take too long since we had left Athens that same day at 4 in the morning.

We spent 2 nights in Koufunisia, and those days were as relaxed as can be. After getting the sleep we needed we woke up early and got ready to leave the house. Grabbed our iced coffees and some pastries for a lunch on the go from the bakery next to our house (forever a big fan of Pasticceria Giorgoula). That day was spent hopping (= walking) from beach to beach on the cost of the island. We started by taking a small boat to the opposite side of Koufunisia, and made our way back exploring every part of the coast we thought was deserving of a swim.

Perfectly clear water. I blame it for all my sunburns.

There isn’t much to say about this whole day. Just like Ken in Barbie, our job was beach. It was also explicitly written in our job description that we had to sing “Lay All Your Love on Me” from MammaMia in every beach (yes, with the choreo). And because we take our jobs seriously we did it, and we did it well. Obviously after a whole day walking under the mediterranean sun we were all sunburnt - some more than others, right Tomás? - so there was a special trip to the our favorite, and only, supermarket of the island to buy aftersun.

Because lunch had been those pastries from the bakey, dinner was a gyros (obviously). We went to what tiktok considered “the best gyros in koufonisia, or even in Greece”. It was very good, I have some photos and videos of the man making them. Personally I ate 2, and therefore I was ahead in the race of who eats more gyros in a week (For now. I would later lose to Tomás in Paros, I think.)

Although we knew Koufunisia was more of a chill, family island retreat for the greeks, we were determined to find somewhere to go out that night. So we dressed up and went out. Tiktok did us wrong with this one because the most suggested place was empty and depressing. We did however, find a place blasting Beyoncé so we walked in (as one does). It was amazing, a mix of bops from the 2000s and greek iconic songs we didn’t know but the others clearly knew by heart. The barman liked us so he offered us free shots, and we stayed there until 3 when they turned the lights off and closed.

Just outside the street as a store selling “moonbites” (they were traditional greek Loukoumades). We think the lady was a little drunk because she never asked us to pay and just kept laughing the whole time. We were on our way home when my friend Catarina, my very honest friend, realized we didn’t pay and went back. Those 4.99€ are on her!

Finally, it was time to say goodbye to the island of Koufunisia. So in the morning of our last day, we grabbed our usual iced coffee and something sweet for breakfast in that little bakery. Then we went for a walk to see all the main (three) streets during the day, get some souvenirs for the family and just chill. We had time since our ferry to Paros was only at three.

I will not talk about the bedbug adventure that went on later that morning. What happens in Koufunisia stays in Koufunisia.

Finally we grabbed some food for lunch, and had ate it in the balcony to say goodbye to that beautiful place. Before we could make it out of the house someone knocked. A big man, saying in a very greek accent, what sounded to me as “Ana! Ana!”. I thought he was the owner of the place asking for Ana who booked the house for us, so I said “she’s in the bathroom I’ll get her”. I dragged Ana out of the bathroom (she didn’t exactly love that) only to find out he had no idea who she was and why I brought her to him. He seemed very confused as to why I went to get a random girl. He clearly wasn’t saying “Ana”, and now it sounded more like “Liana!” and he kept doing hand gestures. To this day we don’t know what he wanted, and he just left, frustrated. I hope he found his Ana, Liana, or whatever it is that he needed so badly.

After that interesting interaction, it was finally time to go catch the ferry, so we grabbed our bedbug-free bags and walked to the port trying to catch the shadows when possible. The giant boat was already there, and thankfully this time we had seats in the interior lounge. In fact we had all the luxuries in this one: charger, air conditioner, bathrooms, tables, wifi. If only those were on the first one, and not on this mini 1 hour ride.

This ends my silly thoughts on quaint island of Koufunisia. Thank you Dimitra for the suggestion, we would never find it otherwise! My next post will be about the adventures we lived in Paros and Antiparos, a much larger and touristic island full of nightlife and places where Cristina Ferreira would love to go (and she did, 1 week after we came back home).

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